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When Imitation Doesn't Flatter: The Role of Consumer Distinctiveness in Responses to Mimicry

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  • Katherine White
  • Jennifer J. Argo

Abstract

In a series of four experiments, the authors examine the implications of one consumer's possession being mimicked by another consumer. The results demonstrate that when distinctiveness concerns are heightened, greater dissociation responses (i.e., possession disposal intentions, recustomization behaviors, and exchange behaviors) arise in response to being mimicked by a similar as opposed to dissimilar other. These effects are driven by threats to distinctiveness. Finally, these effects are mitigated when the imitated possession is nonsymbolic in nature and when a low degree of effort is exerted to initially obtain the possession. Implications for marketers and consumers are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Katherine White & Jennifer J. Argo, 2011. "When Imitation Doesn't Flatter: The Role of Consumer Distinctiveness in Responses to Mimicry," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 38(4), pages 667-680.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:doi:10.1086/660187
    DOI: 10.1086/660187
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    Cited by:

    1. Jennifer J Argo & Darren W Dahl & Laura PeracchioEditor & Rashmi AdavalAssociate Editor, 2018. "Standards of Beauty: The Impact of Mannequins in the Retail Context," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 44(5), pages 974-990.
    2. Jennifer K D’Angelo & Kristin Diehl & Lisa A Cavanaugh, 2019. "Lead by Example? Custom-Made Examples Created by Close Others Lead Consumers to Make Dissimilar Choices," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 46(4), pages 750-773.
    3. Khalifa, Dina & Shukla, Paurav, 2017. "Me, my brand and I: Consumer responses to luxury brand rejection," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 156-162.
    4. Jintang Wang & Junyun Liao & Shiyong Zheng & Biqing Li, 2019. "Examining Drivers of Brand Community Engagement: The Moderation of Product, Brand and Consumer Characteristics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-16, August.
    5. Rumen Pozharliev & Willem Verbeke & Matteo Angelis & Ruud Den Bos & Paolo Peverini, 2021. "Consumer self-reported and testosterone responses to advertising of luxury goods in social context," Italian Journal of Marketing, Springer, vol. 2021(1), pages 103-127, June.
    6. Yang, Defeng & Lu, Yue & Zhu, Wenting & Su, Chenting, 2015. "Going green: How different advertising appeals impact green consumption behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(12), pages 2663-2675.
    7. Bella Rozenkrants & S Christian Wheeler & Baba Shiv & Gita JoharEditor & Derek RuckerAssociate Editor, 2017. "Self-Expression Cues in Product Rating Distributions: When People Prefer Polarizing Products," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 44(4), pages 759-777.
    8. Bonnie Simpson & Jennifer L. Robertson & Katherine White, 2020. "How Co-creation Increases Employee Corporate Social Responsibility and Organizational Engagement: The Moderating Role of Self-Construal," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 166(2), pages 331-350, October.
    9. Gao, Yixing (Lisa) & Mattila, Anna S., 2017. "The impact of stereotyping on consumers' food choices," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 80-85.
    10. Butori, Raphaëlle & De Bruyn, Arnaud, 2013. "So you want to delight your customers: The perils of ignoring heterogeneity in customer evaluations of discretionary preferential treatments," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 358-367.
    11. Ku, Hsuan-Hsuan & Shang, Rong-An & Fu, Yi-Fan, 2021. "Social learning effects of complaint handling on social media: Self-construal as a moderator," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    12. Hsuan-Hsuan Ku & Chien-Chih Kuo & Wei-Luen Fang & Ya-Wen Yu, 2014. "The impact of retail out-of-stock options on preferences: The role of consumers’ desire for assimilation versus differentiation," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 53-66, March.
    13. Xia Jiang & Fengyi Deng & Qing Yao & Defeng Yang, 2024. "Better or different? How mimicry by social groups shapes consumers’ preference for differentiated brands," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 31(5), pages 502-515, September.
    14. Ying Ma & Xiaodong Guo & Weihuan Su & Yongxiang Feng & Fang Han, 2022. "Dual-Path Effect of Mortality Salience Induced by COVID-19 on Food Safety Behavior in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-15, May.

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